31 Jul
2022
31 Jul
'22
6:14 p.m.
On Jul 31, 2022, at 2:01 PM, Grant Taylor via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 7/31/22 11:38 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
It's like Pi, I believe, another ARM based Linux device. I started using the BBB some
years ago when the Pi was using a chip whose specs were secret. Supposedly that's
been cured. The BBB is built on TI silicon that comes with a downloadable 5000 page
reference manual.
There's a cost-reduced model called the BeagleBone Green which is just as good for
most purposes. It's what David Gesswein recommends for his MFM emulator.
Adafruit is a good source of these things. Among other things they sell an RS232
"cape" (the BB name for plugin option cards), which is an RS232 level converter
and DE9 connector that ties into one of the on-chip UARTs. Some years ago I built a
variant that connects to all four UARTs, to make a 4 port mux for PLATO terminals.
The standard Linux is Debian, preloaded and of course you can install whatever else you
want in the usual easy way.
paul
One easy way would be to plug in a USB to RS232
adapter into any old Linux device, like a Pi. Another is to use an RS232 converter card
for the built-in UARTs. I don't know about the Pi, but I've used such a device
for the BeagleBone Black.
I was thinking of the BeagleBone Black as another option. I personally have no
experience with them.